Family
by Puddin' Pop and his Jacks
Summary: Joy is ready for her second child. She also realizes that she has fallen in love with Melanie. Can Melanie break down Joy's walls around her heart; and win at the end of the day? Victoria learns to be a better friend to Joy.
1. Prelude

**TITLE: **_Family _

**SUMMARY: **_Joy has finally decided to become pregnant through the sperm bank. She decides that she doesn't want to be impregnated in a cold, and sterile doctor's room. When she runs down the list of men whom would be happy to help her with the turkey baster; she realizes that she doesn't _**_want_**_ a man to be there when she became pregnant the second time around. _

_She goes through her list of women friends; and realizes she doesn't _**_want _**_to be a single mother. She wants a life partner by her side helping raise the baby. Realizing that the only person whom truly made her heart beat was Melanie – she is heartbroken. How can she convince an very straight Melanie to be the second mother to her baby? _

**CATEGORY: **_Friendship/ Family/ Hurt/Comfort/ Drama/ Romance/ Humor/ Angst/ Tragedy/ Suspense/ Crime/ Spiritual._

**RATING: **_T_

**SEASON: **_Second – after the episode __How I Meet My Mother__. _

**PRELUDE:**

Joy sighed against her pillow. Staring out of the window at the huge oak tree that outlined her bedroom window. She loved this view the best out of the entire property that the house stood upon. She had very recently met her grown son, Owen. She loved that name. Owen. O-wen. If she had allowed herself to name her infant son; than Owen would be on top of the list. Along with David, Sebastian, Benjamin, and Adrian. But as an newborn he looked like an Owen. So she's not at all surprised to learn that her son's name was Owen. She had sectary named him since she first looked at him. She never even told her closest friends, Melanie, and Victoria.

They would have understood; and they would have pitied her every time they looked at her. Joy doesn't do pity. Not from her family; not from her friends; and not from herself. Especially not from herself. She all ready had their pity for the fact that she told them that she gave up her newborn son.

What they didn't know; and would never know that she had been able to hold, and nurse her son for the first twelve hours of his birth. There had been issues concerning the adoption. She had prayed, and begged to God that the adoption wouldn't go through – so she could keep her son. Her heartbroken sobs followed her son out of the room, and out of her life.

If Owen allowed it; then she would tell him that she desperately wanted to keep him. But she knew in her heart that she _had _to give him up. In order to protect him meant that she had to turn her back on him. If Owen allowed it; she would love to be his friend. If Owen allowed it; she would love it if Owen sees clearly that she is his mother.

She was dreaming. He had denied her enough times in his hospital room. Perhaps she shouldn't have shot him? You really can't come back from shooting your child; after giving away said child in said child's babyhood. She snorted in laughter at the mere thought that she had a chance with Owen. She had to literally force him into sharing just a hint of bit of his life. She never even answered whom his father was. She could have at least given Owen his father's name. She just didn't want to share her son with anyone. Owen was her son. _Hers_. She hadn't wanted to damage Owen any more than she all ready had. To know his father would damage her baby boy beyond all repair.

She couldn't tell her son _why_ she gave him up. All she could do was give that damn speech about wanting to be friends. He said okay. But he gave very superficial answers to her questions. Of course she didn't ask the deep down important questions – like the two he asked her.

He had ended their meeting rather quickly after the hug. She did manage to hang onto her boy for as long as she could. He returned the hug – she felt it – he returned her love back to her. But Owen went back home. He had told her not to call or contact him. That he had too be one too take that step. That he had to be one to finally decide that they should have any short of relationship.

All she could do was agree. But every single of the day she desperately wanted to send an e-mail. Too tell him that she loved him. But every single time that she went to press the send button – she stopped. She just knew that if she sent that e-mail she would lose her son for good. She moved the e-mail to the folder OWEN. There were a close to a hundred un-sent emails.

"Hey." A voice started her line of thinking. Her head twirled around from the window – chocolate brown eyes wide; and her hand against her racing heart. "You scared me."

"I didn't mean too." Melanie said with widen eyes. She took a step into the room; than she paused. She eyed her best friend. "Why are you so sad? You don't have to tell me if you don't want too. I was just passing by, and I saw you so melancholy that I had too make sure you weren't all suicidal or something. Not that you would ever communicate suicide … you have much; too much to live for." Melaine wished that she would stop babbling all ready. "I just saying that you just found your son and all. You got your green card. You have us. Me. We would miss you if you were dead. _ I _would miss you if you were dead. I would be angry as hell with you that you took your own life. But I would miss you terribly." Tears were freely rolling down her cheeks by the end of her babble.

Joy held out a hand. It was soon griped so tightly by both of Melanie's. "I'm not suicidal. Never again. I promise." She pulled backward so that Melanie could half fall on the bed, and on her. Felt Melanie's hand land on the bed near her right shoulder. She felt Melanie's warm breath on her face. Her free hand rose to gently stroke the side of Melanie's face. "Never again. I promise."

Melanie's head slowly bowed down to rest against Joy's shoulder. Her lifted arm slowly lowered, so it could pass Joy's upraised hand; down pass the shoulder. She felt it slowly run down her kidney; she softly moaned in acceptation of that special spot of hers. She felt the hand continue it's course till it ran gently against her waist. She moved closer to the body to feel closer to the offered warmth.

"I was thinking of Owen." Joy said after a half hour of silence. She felt Melanie's breath hitch against her neck. "I used to be sad because I gave my son up. Gave him up, and closed all options to finding me." Her breath hitched as she thought back to that day. "Now that I have met my grown son; now I few more things too be sad about. One; I completely missed the chance to see my baby boy grow from infancy through adulthood. Second; I shot him before I laid eyes on him for the second time in my life. Third: I lied to him with the first sentence I had said to him in over twenty eight years. Fourth; Not only did I lie to him – but I denied him that I was ready to call myself his mother."

"Oh Joy," Melanie nodded her eyes drifting slowly closed.

"He doesn't want me." Joy finally allowed the heartbroken sobs to finally be unleashed.

Melanie moved her head up from Joy's shaking shoulder. Her left the intertwined fingers of Joy; and cupped the taller brunette's right cheek line. Lifting her teary brown eyes to get destroyed by the heartbreak in the chocolate eyes staring right back. "He wants you." Melanie whispered. She held the struggling chin in place. "He is hurting right now. He wants you to hurt along side him. Children always want their mommies in there darkest of times – and those that don't even come close to the monster under the bed." Resting her forehead against the wetness of Joy's cheek. "He wants you. He loves you. He's just shaken over the events that happened when he met you for the first time. He'll calm down; and realize that he truly does want and need you in his life."

"This isn't like scolding your two year old from catching the knife. This isn't like scolding your six year old to take a bath. This isn't like fighting with your sixteen year old from driving like a crazy person through town. This isn't like having to say good bye to your eighteen year old in front of college dorms." Joy sighed as the last of her sobs died out. "I wish that Gary had killed me. Then at least Owen wouldn't have to deal with a mother like me,."

"Joy." Melanie was shocked. "Don't ever say that ever again. Never think it either."

"Pete should have deported me when he had a chance." Joy stared at the wall at the end of the bed. "He should have come after me due to the fake marriage for my green card; after he dumped your sorry ass for sleeping with his brother – and not telling him about it."

"How was I too know that Pete was Hank's brother? Peter always called him Henry." Melaine protested in a high voice. "That's so not the point." She sighed as she tightened her hold around Joy's waist.

"I wish the INS will come and ship me back to England." Joy sighed. "That way he couldn't find me in the United States of America. God knows how long it would had kept him from thinking of looking in England."

"He would still have found you. He wanted to find you. He still wants you." Melanie said with such sureness in her voice.

"He doesn't want me." Joy's heart clenched. "Who says that this new baby would want me also. I think Owen just proved what a horrible mother I am. I can't put another innocent person through that." Resting her head against the pillow.

Melanie propped herself up with her elbow. Her fingers lightly squeezing Joy's thin waist. "That's not true Joy. You make a wonderful mother. I have seen you with my children. Your eyes always did go soft when they looked at Will. I knew something was going on with you even before you told me about having a baby, and giving him up at birth in your teen years." Her hand gently stroked the hair from Joy's face. "Every single time you held Will – you couldn't bare to give him up." She laughed lowly, "I mostly wished that I kicked my lying, man whore of a husband out; and allowed you to move in help me raise my children with me."

"I would have destroyed them. I should never have been allowed near them. You should have kept them from me." Joy shook her head. "I should have denied you even the superficial access to me. I should have showed you what a total bitch I was when we first met. Better yet, I should have just turned and walked away. Then you would have been safe."

Melanie frowned, "How would I be safe without you in my life? Joy, you saved me. Countless times. Without you I would have no reason to keep living." Bowing the few remaining inches that separated the lips. Turning her head to the right, she whispered in Joy's ear. "I love you Joy. Always real. I promise to tell you the truth all the time. Now, after saying that; you need to listen to me now. If you ever come close to killing yourself; than Joy; I'll never forgive you. You will feel my wrath all the way up in Heaven." Moving just five centimeters she let her lips meet the skin of Joy's warm cheek.

"I won't. I promise." Joy said turning her neck so she could meet Melanie's brown eyes. "I always carry about what I tried to do all those years before. I am always in fear that I would return to that dark place. But, then your face comes to my mind; and your voice; I can always hear deep within my inner ear. You save me every single day."

Resting her head against Joy's forehead. "What can I do too make this better?" Melanie whispered.

"Just hold me." Joy whispered.

"Forever." Melanie promised.

**END PRELUDE**


	2. Jealously Is Not Always The Anwser

**CHAPTER ONE **

**JEALOUSLY IS NOT ALWAYS THE ANSWER  
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**THE KITCHEN**

Victoria frowned darkly as she poured the mug of coffee. She jammed it back under the heating pad of the coffee maker. Tapping her finger nails against the tile. Bringing the rim of the mug up to her lips; she took a sip, her brown eyes locked on the stair case. Her right eye brow high on her forehead; and her left one still lowered in an angry scowl.

She had walked down hallway this morning, to start day. When she had paused in front of Joy's bedroom. The door was half opened; which was very unusual for Joy. Her younger, and taller best friend would always claim that she quite enjoyed her privacy; no matter what. Joy would either leave her bedroom room door open if one; she was drunk; two; she had a one night stand; that she was ashamed of. She was trying to remember how many glasses of wine Joy had the previous night. What she found odd was that Joy only nursed one glass; and she never did finish it. She also knew that Joy didn't go out at all last night. So; where would Joy have found her ashamed one night stand?

She had turned her body around to find what the reason was ….. when her face dropped. There was Joy asleep on her bed – on top of the covers; with Melaine tightly in her arms. Not tightly enough to prevent movement – but with just that extra touch to make it tight. One around Joy's thin waist; and her hand against the lift side of the face. Melanie's head against Joy's shoulder; her arms across Joy's arms on their stomach's. They looked so peaceful – so like little Angels.

Victoria's heard her fingers louder against the tiles as she thought of the precious little scene she had just witnessed. Her heart harden even more against Rejoyla Scroggs. How dare Joy do this too her. Sure she wasn't the best of all best friends; she always did leave Joy high and dry – when something more important came up. Like getting her nails done. But damn it all to hell; she did _care_ for the English bitch. Just as much as Melanie.

How could Joy _not_ to come to her about Owen. She cared about how Joy was holding up with meeting her son for the first time since she was sixteen. She knew Joy was broken up on the inside for the entire mess of meeting her son for the first time in twenty eight years. She could be there for her friend as much as Melanie could.

Victoria was jealous of Melanie Hope Moretti. After all she; Victoria Chase; had met Rejoyla Scroggs _first_. She and Joy had clicked upon their first meeting; behind the scene of Victoria's Soap Opera. Melanie didn't come into their lives till a week later. Joy and her had decided to get some coffee at the crowded coffee shop. They had managed to snag a table for three in the corner. Melanie had asked to join them – Victoria was going to say hell no; when Joy spoke up first. Victoria could still hear such openness in Joy's voice on her first spoken words to Melanie. Joy never spoke to her like that. She had swallowed the bile in her throat; and placed the actress face on, and gladly welcomed Melaine to the table.

She had shut down that small part that Joy had found … so she decided to keep herself at a safe distance from this amazing human being whom truly got her. But, she wouldn't by far or means; remove Joy from her life. She could handle whatever friendship she would offer up. She was actually speechless with how Joy admitted she wanted to count her as her best friend. Victoria's hearts had overflown with simple gladness. She felt her newly walls tumble down. Until Joy said that she had all ready asked Melaine for the best friend rites also. It was _how _Joy's voice switched to a light, and true voice that felt safe. The walls surrounded her heart, and very soon it was so cemented down – that it would literally take a bomb to burst through them. Over the years she had harden the wall – where now there was a solid steel door blocking the wall that she originally had built.

She wanted to hate Melanie. She really tried to hate the woman; but you just couldn't hate Melanie. It's quite impossible. Melanie had slipped in with a permanent place in her heart, and soul. She thank God every day that he saw fit to bring her into her life.

She just hated how Melaine had managed to break down all of Joy's superficial walls within the first meeting. It has taken her years to get past a few of Joy's superficial walls. There were still some solid bricks in her way.

"Morning." Melanie said with a smile as she walked down the stairs.

"Morning." Joy repeated right behind the shorter brunette. Her hand was out, slightly touching the edge of Melanie's satin pajama top. Melanie's hand reached backwards, and met Joy's. She felt a smile as her friend's warm hand met her own. As soon as she stepped off the bottom step; she moved closer so she could feel the missing warmth that her body craved.

"Morning you two." Victoria pasted a fake smile on her mouth. "Coffee?" She lifted her own mug towards her two best friends.

"Love some." Melanie chirped. She moved forward; and felt Joy right behind her.

Victoria's right eyebrow rose high on her forehead. "Is there something going on between the two of you?"

Melanie's eyes widen in shock, and she moved backwards – bumping into Joy. "What No! Of course not!" She moved backwards once more and felt Joy so close to her. She felt Joy's arms wrap themselves around her waist. Twisting her head around to look up into Joy's unreadable expression. "Oh sorry Joy; I didn't realize you were still behind me, I'm so sorry for bumping into you. Twice." She felt Joy's hands tighten on her stomach.

Victoria lifted her mug to her lips; she couldn't fight the smirk that came to her lips. She had them dead too rights. She forced the smirk from her lips; as they thinned out; she realized that she had gotten pushed even more away from this friendship – or what she mostly thought of it as the so-so friendship. Joy and Melanie keep her around for …. for; all hell even she know what for.

Joy frowned darkly over Melanie's head; before lowering it to rest at the crook of Melanie's warm neck. She turned her face so she could nuzzle the skin. She could feel Melanie's deep brush – she loved the warmth from it.

Melanie closed her eyes at the feeling. She felt herself relax into the feeling of having Joy so close to her. She felt Joy's hands tighten on her stomach. "It's quite all right. You didn't hurt me." Joy's voice softly said in her ear.

Victoria placed her mug on the counter top. Medium hard. Loud enough for the other two women to be dragged out of whatever private world they were in. Joy slowly backed away from Melanie. She moved as in a daze towards the kitchen table – sitting in her normal chair; it took most of her will power for Victoria not to roll her eyes; at the head of the table. She was actually surprised that Joy allowed anyone other than Melanie to sit across from her. But, yet again Joy was the smart and crafty one – she made sure that Melanie sat to the right of her. The right means the better than the left. Victoria of course got Joy's _left_ side.

"I was wondering when you will you decide to come and confide in me about Owen?" Victoria said with a slight smile, and frown on her lips. "Now, I know that I'm not the world's best mother. Oh hell, I _never _wanted children – I just didn't have the heart too abort them right before they started growing inside me. I just didn't have the courage to put them up for a closed adoption. I just allowed them to remain with me – I hired nannies to be there mothers in my proxy." She turned her eyes onto a wide eyed Melanie, "I'm not the mother who loved having them grow inside her. Whom loved her children so much – that she willing stayed in failed marriage to give them a happy fake childhood."

"Enough Victoria!" Joy said in a hard shocked voice. Standing to her feet she leaned forward in her rage.

"I'm just a woman." Victoria said in a much quieter voice. Her eyes locked onto Joy's blazing chocolate ones. "I'm just a woman whom is trying to find her friend." She finished in the silence of the room.

"How can I be friends with someone whom harms her?" Joy asked in a dead tone. "How can I be friends with someone whom hurts her? "

"I didn't mean to hurt her. I went too far." Victoria swallowed. "I just wanted to show you the comparison between us on where motherhood was concerned for us." She shrugged. "If I had given my children up for adoption – or I aborted each and everyone one of them; than I would have gone to be in Melanie's arms also."

Joy's head lowered onto her right arm. She groaned softly under her breathe. "Do you know why I don't come to you when I'm sad about Owen, Victoria?" Her head lifted, and her eyes met the older brunette's. "It's because Melanie has never ever turned her back on our friendship. Not once."

Victoria blinked.

"How can I ever come too you when you mostly just want to turn your back on me. I have been counting. I keep a close tab on every single time." Joy patted her heart, "In here." Her smile was thinned lined. "So I ask you once more, Victoria Chase, why should I trust in our friendship?"

"You shouldn't." Victoria replied in a dead voice. She turned and walked out of the kitchen, using the side door to the backward. Damn if she showed Joy her tears – her heartbreak. No way in hell would she give _anyone_ the satisfaction on seeing how they had broken her.

**END CHAPTER ONE**

_**Authors Note:**__ No, I'm not going to Victoria bash here in this story. I'm just stating right up front on how sad she is that Joy doesn't count her as good of a friend; as Melaine. I was going to have Victoria say something completely away from the subject of Owen – but Owen truly wanted to butt his tiny butt in; so he won (what can I say?). _

_I was going to wait to tackle on what I preserve of Joy, and Victoria's friendship – compared to Joy, and Melanie's friendship in a later chapter (much later) – but, and I have to agree; Victoria truly needed to get this off her chest. _

_This is going to be a strong Joy/Melaine friendship/and later romance story. It's going to have a very strong Joy/Victoria friendship and soon. It's going to have a strong Melanie/Victoria friendship; also soon. There will be very touching scenes between Joy, and Owen – and a lot of anger. Expect to feel the angst between mother, and grown son throughout the entire story. _

_So (pounding both knees), now for the million dollar question. (Scooting to the edge of the seat, than back against the back rest; and then edging back to the edge of the seat), Why no Elka in this chapter? Don't worry Elka will show up in the next chapter. _


End file.
